A review of isotretinoin in the treatment of frontal fibrosing alopecia

• Published in: Journal of cosmetic dermatology Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 1956 - 1963
• Main Authors: Shahpar, Amirhossein, Nezhad, Nazanin Zeinali, Sahaf, Akram‐Sadat, Ahramiyanpour, Najmeh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Alopecia - drug therapy; Cicatrix - drug therapy; Cicatrix - etiology; Dermatologic Agents - administration & dosage; Dermatologic Agents - adverse effects; Dermatologic Agents - therapeutic use; facial papules; Fibrosis; Forehead; frontal fibrosing alopecia; Humans; isotretinoin; Isotretinoin - administration & dosage; Isotretinoin - adverse effects; Isotretinoin - therapeutic use; scarring alopecia; Treatment Outcome; isotretinoin; scarring alopecia; frontal fibrosing alopecia; facial papules
• ISSN: 1473-2130; 1473-2165
• DOI: 10.1111/jocd.16245

Introduction Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is characterized by scarring alopecia of the frontotemporal scalp and facial papules. Isotretinoin is a vitamin A‐derived retinoid discovered in 1955 and approved for treating nodulocystic acne. This drug can also affect facial papules and frontotemporal hair loss in patients with FFA. In this article, we conducted a review of the available studies investigating the use of oral isotretinoin for FFA treatment. Our study provides insights into the efficacy and safety of isotretinoin as a potential treatment option for FFA and highlights areas for future research. Method In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential advantages and disadvantages of isotretinoin as a treatment for FFA. To identify all relevant articles, we developed a comprehensive search strategy and conducted a thorough search of three major databases: PubMed, Embase, and Science Direct. We retrieved a total of 82 articles from the search results. Two independent reviewers then screened each of the 82 articles based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the identification of 15 articles that were deemed relevant to our study. Results Across the 15 articles, 232 patients who suffered from FFA were involved. Nearly 90% of patients experienced a significant reduction of symptoms after receiving oral isotretinoin at 10–40 mg daily. We conclude that isotretinoin can positively affect facial papules and help suppress hair loss.